Many young people feel disenfranchised, believing the planning process holds little value for their future. Placemaking-with-Young-Adults (PYA1), funded by The British Academy and Research England E3, addressed this gap by involving young adults in planning policy development with a focus on sustainable, climate resilient places. The project's success led to tangible impacts, e.g., participants pursuing careers in spatial planning and contributing to local governance.
Building on this, “Placemaking-with-Young-Adults 2.0" (PYA2) will engage young people in the Lancaster District Local Plan Review. Through walk-shops and placemaking workshops, young people will work with LCC policymakers, influencing decisions, impacting the district through the mid-2040s. This presents a novel and irreplaceable opportunity to include young people's perspectives from the outset of plan making.
PYA2 will empower young adults, fostering ownership and influencing key policy themes like green infrastructure, sustainable transport, and affordable living. It will also continue to strengthen the Council’s approach to youth engagement, inform the Local Plan Review and support a resilient and future focused district.
Aims
1. Enhance Participation: Involve at least 50 young adults in policy development and Local Plan preparation through the co-design process.
2. Educate on Placemaking: Increase knowledge of sustainable planning among young adults, measured by pre- and post-project surveys.
3. Strengthen Engagement: Establish a structured framework within the Local Authority to integrate young adult perspectives into policy development, evaluated through feedback loops and follow-up interviews.
Objectives:
1. Build on Initial Success: expand on the achievements of PYA1 and the Area Action Plan. As LCC prepares a new Local Plan with a broader focus, it aims to ensure young people are actively involved and understand their crucial role. Their insights will shape the plan’s outcomes, reflecting their opinions and aspirations.
2. Incorporate Young People's Vision: engage young adults meaningfully in the Local Plan, making sure it addresses their hopes and concerns, thus ensuring the district meets their future needs.
3. Develop an Engagement Framework: create a holistic framework for engaging young adults on various issues beyond planning, thereby enhancing their involvement in decision-making processes across the council.
Shaping a Sustainable Future
A New Era of Regenerative Urban Design in Lancaster District
In a world where urban spaces are at the forefront of pressing issues—ranging from climate challenges to social equity—the perspectives of young people are increasingly vital. Placemaking with Young Adults 2.0 (PYA2) is an innovative research initiative committed to bringing young voices to the forefront of urban planning and policy development in Lancaster District.
Building on Success
Following the tremendous impact of the initial Placemaking with Young Adults (PYA1), funded by The British Academy and Research England E3, which empowered young residents of Lancaster to contribute meaningfully to sustainable urban development, PYA2 aims to elevate this dialogue to new heights. This project runs from February 2025 to March 2026, setting the stage for a new era of participatory placemaking urban design.
This engagement project has generated impact beyond academia, being featured in RTPI’s documentary, “Planning for Tomorrow’s Environment” as an example of best practice in community engagement (Chapter 5: Engaging us in the process; min 19.46), with over + 600K views and 2.75M impressions. Friends of the Earth also highlighted the project as an example of unlocking transformative climate action. The project was shortlisted for two Local Government Chronicle Awards (LGC) and featured in Lancaster City Council’s LGC 2024 Award on Net Zero (June 2024).
Lancaster City Council officers presented the project in public talks and conferences, including the APSE Big Energy Summit, Festival of Place: Climate Resilience 2024, and This is the North Convention 2023, and more recently in iPACT Infrastructure for Port and Coastal Towns event (London, 2025) to share knowledge and best practices. The Lancaster City Council chief executive included the project in public talks, such as the APSE performance networks seminar 2023. The published report (2024) is part of the LCC Local Plan Review, having a lasting local policy impact.
